Shore Drive Safety Task Force Resolution most likey on Consent Agenda

Dear Shore Drive Residents,

First of all, terrific job on showing support for the proposed safety task force resolution.  Many phone calls have been made and emails have been sent.  The sign-up for safety campaign is off to an excellent start.  Keep up the excellent effort.

12/15/05 Notes from SDAC Meeting(Nils)

Thanks to Nils for attending the SDAC meeting and taking such comprehensive notes.

An excerpt:

Clay Colbert, Chesapeake Beach, observed that 14 deaths in four years, if it happened on Atlantic Avenue, City Council certainly would have done something by now.

12/15/05 Notes from SDAC Meeting(Nicole)

Thanks to Nicole for attending the SDAC meeting, her first, and for emailing us her notes to be posted.

An excerpt:
There was general consensus in the meeting that the time is now to push the City Council to improve Shore Drive.  We are entering into an election year.  This is the time to ensure City Council understands how important this issue is and that change is implemented immediately before someone else is hurt on Shore Drive.

Shore Drive Safety Petition update

Update: Over 1600 signatures have been collected in support of creating the Shore Drive Safety Task Force. Again, thanks to Clay Culbreth and friends for starting this petition drive!

According to Jim Wood, the Resolution to create the task force will be on the consent agenda this evening, Tueday, December 20th. Learn more here.

An excerpt of email forwarded to our councilmen:

“As of this writing, several thousand signatures have been collected. A large group of your constituents will also be attending Tuesday’s Council session in support of this task force and the immediate need to address some of the more dangerous places along Shore Drive.

Update: Jim Wood emails the Resolution will most likely be put on “consent”agenda.
Stay tuned.

Shore Drive Safety Petition

[As of this writing several thousand signatures have been collected, with many more petitions outstanding.]

Clay Culbreth and friends organized a petition drive that started Saturday morning at Taste Unlimited.

It ends Monday evening, in time to gather the petitions and then present them at the City Council meeting Tuesday night.

The Shore Drive Petition States:

I support immediate efforts to ensure pedestrian and vehicular safety on Shore Drive

Download Shore Drive Safety Petition.[pdf]
You can print as many as you want from 1-1,000 or more. Thank you for helping raise awareness and for supporting the efforts to make Shore Drive safer now!

Get to City Council meeting this coming Tuesday

Dear Shore Drive Area Residents,

As you are all aware, there has been a growing number of safety issues (pedestrian and vehicular) along Shore Drive over the past year.  Current plans to redevelop residential property into multifamily dwellings and possible plans to construct 700+ residents on Pleasure House Point have the potential to make matters worse. 

The Shore Drive Community Coalition and the Shore Drive Advisory Committee have requested City Council to expedite safety related improvements and to initiate temporary improvements wherever possible (see SDCC & SDAC letters at http://www.sdcc.info).  A very important step in making things happen at an accelerated rate is the creation of a Shore Drive Safety Task Force.

WVEC news reports on Taste Unlimited event on Saturday

For years, there have been committees and reports to look at how to make Shore Drive safer. But now, many people say there has been enough talk, and they are ready to see improvements, before someone else is hurt.

Click to read entire article and view video aired on WVEC TV.

Taste Unlimited Saturday - Sign-up Sheets to Support Improved Pedestrian Safety

N O T I C E

TO: Citizens Living Along Shore Drive, VB, VA

RE: Sign-up Sheets to Support Improved Pedestrian Safety

Clay Culbreth and many helpers are meeting at Taste Unlimited on Shore Drive at 8:30 AM until 5:00 PM Saturday December 17th 2005.

They have 250 sign up sheets to be carried to homes and businesses and filled with signatures supporting efforts to improve pedestrian safety along Shore Drive.

The objective is to obtain 5000 or more signatures to show support of the City Councilmen James Wood and Louis Jones and other members appointed to the Shore Drive Safety Advisory Committee.

This ?5000? support is to be presented by our collective Shore Drive Communities of ?live bodies? present at the City Council Meeting Tuesday, December 20th 2005 at 6:30 PM.

Please help us achieve our objective by picking up a sheet or two, fill them with supporter signatures and return the completed sheets to Clay and crew at Taste Unlimited before 5:00 PM Saturday. 

Your efforts will help give impetus to improve the safety for our/your children and loved ones in the future and allow those who have predeceased us on Shore Drive to be motivators for our common good!

Please join us at Taste Unlimited on Shore Drive at 8:30 AM until 5:00 PM Saturday December 17th , 2005 and Tuesday evening at the City Council Meeting at 6:30 PM.

Prepared: 12/16/2005

Photos of construction at new shop where Lazy Daisy was

Here are photos, from today, showing grading that was recently done on the shop where Lazy Daisy was located. The lots are across the street from Croakers restaurant.

We learned at yesterdays SDAC meeting that the new owner of the lots were given a one year deferral on creating a BMP, and on upgrading the parking lot and vegetation buffer. On a personal note, I was surprised to hear that.

Does anybody know who makes those kinds of decision and are they made in public?

This photo shows existing sidewalk on Shore Drive destroyed and covered over with trenching left uncovered.

FOIA Safety Info from the Police

Recently we FOIA-ed the city for more information related to safety issues on Shore Drive.
Check the Read More link below to read the most recent FOIA requests.
How to FOIA.

Shore Drive Safety Task Force resolution announced today

…Vice Mayor Louis Jones and I are co-sponsoring a resolution creating a Shore Drive Safety Task Force.

Announced this afternoon at the SDAC meeting.

WAVY TV, only media to cover today’s SDAC meeting

Mr Kassir, President of the SDAC, asked if there was any media in the room after WAVY TV filmed the room and did some interviews on a short break.

No other media attended.

Highfill & Henderson’s deaths preliminarily concluded

As a result, police have preliminarily concluded that the victims? drunkenness was the sole cause of the fatal accident, according to testimony.
Read the article at Pilotonline.com.

Taste Unlimited, and Virginia Beach Vet Hospital on board safety campaign

Taste Unlimited, who chose to distribute the “This Holiday 35” flyer to their customers, and Virginia Beach Veterinary Hospital are also supporting the safety campaign.

Jimmy’s Pizza, Waffletown USA, Wawa, Subway[PH Rd], Crown[Greenwell Rd], The Leaping Lizard, Coastal

Jimmy’s Pizza, Waffletown USA, Wawa, Subway[PH Rd], Crown[Greenwell Rd], The Leaping Lizard, Coastal Waterworks and Carwash, C.P.Shuckers and The Box Office have also decided to spread the word about the safety campaign.

Please click for more photos.

Single largest investment in the ChesBay proposed

Gov. Mark R. Warner announced Tuesday that he will seek more than $200 million over the next two years to help clean up the Chesapeake Bay, a proposal he called the single largest investment in Virginia?s history toward restoring the famed Chesapeake.
Read the entire article.

SDAC Formally Requests

The Shore Drive Advisory Committee[SDAC] has formally requested City Council put together a team of City staff to formally consider safety changes.

Excerpts:

”…citizens have continuously been commenting on this item for the entire seven years plus…”

“with this in mind, the Committee has prepared a generalized list of suggestions that it would like to see formally considered by a team of City staff…”

Bayside Citgo, Jenna’s Deli, Shell Bayside, Bayside Vet Clinic, Foreign Car Experts, Virginia Beach

Bayside Auto Center, Jenna’s Deli, Shell Bayside, Bayside Vet Clinic, Foreign Car Experts, Virginia Beach Auto Exchange, Chicks Beach Cafe are all also promoting the safety campaign.

[Photo in Chicks Beach Cafe]